Can anyone advise me about my daughters feet?

Hi, my daughter is nearly 8 and has severe learning difficulties. Her co-ordination isn't great and she can't ride a bike, struggles like mad even with a balance bike or 3 wheel schooter. Her walking is fine, she can run but doesn't choose too. She complains of knee and back pain if she walks too far.

One of her feet is a whole size bigger than the other, and the smaller foot is the one that is starting to roll out. She is walking more on the outer side of that foot, and wearing down her shoes on that side. She's always had her feet measured and we buy either Start-rite or Clarks as she has wide feet.

My DH's feet are the same, he walks on the out sides of his feet and he has distorted the shape of both feet. He also suffers with back ache and knee problems. I don't want my daughters feet to go the same way. I thought that if I saw an expert now and got her inserts or something, that would correct it early on. The shoe fitting lady said that they won't do anything, as her feet are still growing.

Would it be worth us seing a professional? I don't really want to wast the money on an appointment, just to be told to come back when her feet have stopped growing.

I know. She does have poor muscle tone, and has to do excersises, which she hates. I did put it down to that, her muscles not supporting her joints well enough. It difinatly needs to be checked out though.

Yes see a podiatrist. My DS1 complained whenever he had to walk anywhere, turns out his calf muscles weren't developing properly. Two or three years wearing orthotic inserts and he is now fine. It was a really simple fix.

Definitely insist on a podiatrist referral. It sounds like support insoles will help. DD has flat feet and has insoles to support her feet. When she walks around in flip flops or bare feet for a long time her knees hurt so the insoles make a huge difference.

You can ask for referal. However my db was referred for throwing his ankle badly. Chap took look at his feet, asked dm to take her shoes off. proclaimed "Genetic deformity" and said nothing could be done.I also have this deformity, and at least one of my dc has also inherited it. but no one else has thrown their ankles like db did.

Get a referral to a podiatrist. Also check your local unis to see if they run the dregree course. I'm in Wales and my colleague took his child to the uni clinic - he saw students but also saw a few professors and the students were always supervised.

I noticed today while looking at her soes that she's worn a whole under each big toe. In the linning of her shoes. This has happened before on one foot, but now it's both. When it happened the first time, Start-rite replaced them saying it must've been a fault. Now I think it's more likely to be her, gripping with her big toes. Something else tp mention to the Podietrist.

I pay privately for my children to have orthotics. They cost £75 for each set of insoles and are worth every single penny. NHS one's have just been complete rubbish for us. Btw, there's no such thing as flat feet ... it's problems with your pelvis,hips, knees or ankles rotating that cause the feet to fall inover therefore looking flat.I'd definitely get referral from GP and take it from there.